The Orwell Foundation

The Road to Wigan Pier

Orwell journeyed to Wigan between January and March 1936, and the finished book – first part social reportage, second part socialist polemic – was published in 1937, while the author was in Spain. The book was selected for the Left Book Club, which Orwell’s publisher, Victor Gollancz, had helped found – though not without Gollancz inserting a preface against his absent author’s wishes.

Between 31st January and 25th March 2011, the Orwell Prize will be blogging Orwell’s Wigan Pier diary, with each diary entry being posted seventy-five years to the day since it was written. You can find the blog here.